Air-compressing apparatus



No. 618,959. Patentd Feh. 7', I899.

c; A.. LOWELL -& E. R. BROWN.

AIR COMPRESSING APPARATUS.

(Application filed se n 1897.

(No Model.)

v11w: Noams ravens co mmoumou WASHINGTON. n c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLESSON A. LOWELL AND EDWARD R. BROWN OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

AIR-COMPRESSING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 618,959, dated February'7, 1899.

Application filed September 17,1897. Serial No. 652,031. on model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, OLnssoN A. LOWELL and EDWARD R. BROWN, ofSomerville, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massa ohusetts, haveinvented certain new und useful Improvements in Air-CompressingApparatus, of which the following is a specification.

One object of this invention is to obtain automatically an unlimitednumber of successive charges of compressed air by means of wateradmitted to a closed receptacle or tank under pressure.

Another object is to control automatically the admission of water underpressure to said receptacle or tank in order to prevent excessive wasteof water.

These and other objects are accomplished by mechanism hereinafterdescribed.

Our invention consists of certain novel features hereinafter described,and particular] pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a construction embodyingo'n'r invention, Figure 1 represents a vertical longitudinal sectionthrough the apparatus. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of thedevice for controlling the admission of Water under pressure to theclosed tank.

Like letters of reference refer to like part throughout both views.

The metal tank A, which is preferably cylindrical in shape, is supportedby suitable feet A and has a bottom plate A and is provided with a capor cover B, which provides room for some of the working parts and is ofreduced transverse section to avoid too much idle air-space within thetank. At the top of the cap B is the outlet 0 for the compressed air andto which .is secured the cap 0, and'leading from said cap 0 is asuitable pipe O. This air-outlet is preferably controlled by means of acheck-valve C above which is located the ball 0 supported by the lugs Oon the inner side of the cap 0. The water-inlet pipe D enters throughthe bottom plate A of the tank and is provided with a suitablewater-regulator D. Also connected to said bottom plate A is awater-outlet pipe E of considerably greater diameter'than thewater-inlet pipe D. This water-outlet pipe E is controlled by the valveE, attached to a rod F and adapted to be guided in its movements by theguides E and E On the rod F there is mounted the float G, which isadapted to slide vertically on said rod, and its downward movement islimited by the contact of the boss G with the top of the valve E, andits upward movement is limited by the contact of the boss G with theshoulder F of the enlarged portion F of the rod F. The upper portion ofthe rod F terminates in the curved finger F thus forming a seat for thefioat H in its lowest position. The transverse supporting-piece Iextends across the tank A near the top, and by means of adownwardly-depending hanger 1 supports the lever J, which is pivoted tosaid hanger at K and is also pivotally connected at one end to the upperportion F of the rod F, as shown at K, and is pivotally connected at theother end at K to the rod L, hereinafter described.

Within the cap B is located the pipe H, communicating with the air andleading upward to the top of said cap B. This pipe serves alternately asa temporary dischargepassage for the compressed air and as an in- Ylet-pipe for another charge of air and will be designated as the airinlet and exhaust pipe. At its upper end this pipe carries the bracket Hand the bifurcated guide-piece H To the bracket H there is pivotallyconnected at H the rod H which carries the float H, and said rod isguided by the bifurcated guide-piece H The upper end of the pipe H iscontrolled by the valve H carried by the rod H When the outlet-valve Eis closed and the rod F and curved finger F are in their lowestpositions, the fioat H is in its lowest position and rests in the curvedfinger F and the valve H is closed. WVith the parts in their normalpositions, as shown in Fig. 1, the water, entering through the pipe D,gradually fills the tank A until the float G is raised until the boss G2strikes the shoulder F; but the buoyancy of the float G is notsuflicient to lift the rod F against the internal pressure of thecompressed air, the tendency of whioh'is to hold the valve E upon itsseat and close the water-outlet pipe E. When, however, the water risessufficiently in the tank A to partially submerge and raise the float H,the air-pressure is relieved by the opening of the valve H, and thefloat G is sufliciently buoyant to lift the rod F and open the valve Eto allow the discharge of the water from the tank A.

One end of the lever J is bifurcated at J, and within the bifurcationsis located one end J of the bell-crank lever J which is journaled at Jin the support J secured to the side of the tank A, and the upper end ofsaid bell-crank lever is provided with the weight J the oflice of whichis to hold the valve E down upon its seat and the outletpipe E closeduntil the float H rises, as hereinbefore described, in which case therod F, being lifted by the float G, will, through the bifurcated end J,throw the weight J 6 to the right beyond its center of support J andthus hold the valves E and 11 open. As the water escapes from the tank Athrough the outlet-pipe E the float G gradually falls until there isonly sufflcient water to submerge about one-third of said float G, inwhich case the weight of said float bearing on the valve E will forcesaid valve E to its seat and close the outlet-pipe E, and in saidmovement the rod F, descending,will,through the forked end 1 J of thelever J, move the weight J to the;

left of its center of support J and the finger F and the float H willdescend, thereby closing the valve H and preventing further inlet of airwhich has been passing into the tank during the time that the valve Ewas open to allow the discharge of water.

The rod L, which is pivotally connected at K to one end of the lever J,extends downwardly within the tank A and is pivotally secured at L tothe plunger L and is provided with the stem L which is guided in itsmovements by the guide L. This plunger L controls the admission of waterunder pressure into said tank A from the pipe D. The water-controllingdevice M consists of the upper and lower parts M and M screwed together,as shown, with a suitable packing I. between the parts. The upper part Mis. provided with a vertical passage M which terminates in two passagesM in the lower part M and opening within the tank A. In the upper part Mis a chamber M surrounding the passage M and said chamber M communicateswith said passage M by the circular slot M formed in the pipe L andcommunicating with the chamber M With the parts in the position shown inFig. 1'

this compressed air is let off through the outlet-pipe O and used forany desired purposefor instance, forcing liquids through pipes. As thewater rises within the tank A the float G rises, as hereinbeforedescribed. The further rising of the water completely submerges thefloat H, and when the water has submerged the float to the proper extentthe buoyancy of the float H is sufficient to open the valve II againstthe internal air-pressure, and upon the opening of said valve H theresidue of the compressed air escapes through the pipe H, and owing tothe reduction of air-pressure a sudden rising of the water occurs. Theinternal air-pressure being thus relieved, the float G immediately liftsand opens the valve E against the weight J which normally tends to holdsaid valve E closed. When the float G lifts the rod F and opens thevalve E, as described, and throws the weight J 6 to the right of itscenter of support, the forked end J of the lever J, moving upwardly withthe rod F, causes the opposite end K of said lever J to move the rod Ldownwardly and the plunger L to close the slot M and therebyprevents thepassage of water through the pipe D into the tank A.

From the above it will be seen that when the valve E is lifted and theoutlet-pipe E open for the passage of water from the tank A no inlet ofwater to the tank A can take place, owing to the plunger L closing theslot M in the pipe L, so that only the water within the tank escapes bythe outlet-pipe E, because no additional water can enter the tank Athrough the pipe D, owing to the plunger L preventing the entrance ofwater to the tank. By thus preventing any entrance of additional waterto the tank it is obvious that considerable water is saved from waste,and, further, the water is discharged much quicker than if additionalwater were being poured into the tank through the inlet-pipe, eventhough the area of the inlet-pipe may be considerably less than the areaof the outlet-pipe. When the valve E closes, as described, by reason ofthe weight of the float G, the rod F in descending moves downwardly theforked end J of the lever J and moves the weight J to the left of itscenter of support, as shown in Fig. 1, and in the descent of theforkediend J of the lever J the opposite end K of said lever is causedto rise and move upwardly the rod L, and the plunger L which, movingupwardly, opens the slot M and permits the passage of water from thepipe D into the tank A through the passage M chamber M slot M passages Mand M and the water, rising in the tank A, compresses the air, whichpasses off through the pipe 0 and the operation of the apparatus isrepeated, as previously described.

The ball 0, which rests on the lugs C, does not interfere with thepassage of the air to the pipe 0 as the air passes around said ball andlugs; but the object of said ball is for the purpose of closing the pipeC in the event too of the water, owing to the escape of the air throughthe pipe H, rising too suddenly by the relief of the pressure andfilling the cap B.

In this case the water would lift the ball 0 and close the pipe 0whereby no water could pass from the apparatus, and upon the descent ofthe water the ball 0 would fall to its normal position on the lugs 0Although the float H in its lowest position is shown as resting in thefinger F yet it will be understood that it is not necessary for it torest in said finger, as said float would be supported in its lowestposition by reason of the valve I-I, secured to the rod H closing thepipe H, and also by reason of the pivotalconnection H of said rod H Bythe above apparatus there is economically produced successive charges ofcompressed air by means of water admitted under pressure toa closedreceptacle, and the amount of water used for such purpose is controlledas hereinbefore set forth.

We do not limit ourselves to the arrangement and construction shown, asthe same may be varied without departing from the spirit of ourinvention. 4

Having thus ascertained the nature of our invention and set forth aconstruction embodying the same, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In an air-compressin g apparatus,a closed tank, a water-inlet, avalve controlling said water-inlet,a water-outlet, a valve controllingsaid water-outlet, an air-inlet, a valve controlling said air-inlet, anair-outlet, a valve controlling said air-outlet, a lever pivotedintermediate of its ends, a rod connecting one end of said lever withsaid valve controlling the water-inlet, a rod connecting the other endof said lever with said valve controlling the water-outlet, a floatadapted to slide on said rod connected with the valve controlling thewater-outlet,and a mechanism connected with an end of said lever tonormally hold said end in either an elevated or a depressed position.

2. In an air-compressin g apparatus,a closed trolling said air-inlet, anair-outlet, a valve 7 controlling said air-outlet, a lever pivoted invtermediate of its ends and having one of its ends bifurcated, a rodconnecting one end of said lever with said valve controlling thewater-inlet, a rod connecting the other end of said lever with saidvalve controlling the water-outlet, a float adapted to slide on said rodconnected with the valve controlling the water-outlet, and a bell-crankpivoted at its angle and having one of its legs projecting upwardly fromthe pivotal point and having the other leg engaging with the bifurcationin said lever, and a weight carried by said upwardlyprojecting leg ofthe bell-crank.

3. In an air-compressing apparatus,a closed tank, a water-inlet, a valvecontrolling said water-inlet,a water-outlet, avalve controlling saidwater-outlet, an air-inlet, a valve con trolling said air-inlet, anair-outlet, a valve controlling said air-outlet, a lever pivoted in*termediate of its ends, a rod connecting one end of said lever with saidvalve controlling the water-inlet, a rod connecting the other end ofsaid lever with said valve controlling the water-outlet, a float adaptedto slide on said rod connected with the valve controlling thewater-outlet, a rest carried by said rod on which the float is mounted,a pivoted lever connected with said valve controlling the airinlet, afloat carried by said lever connected with the air-inlet and adapted toregister with said rest, and means for normally holding an end of saidlever in either an elevated or a ,depressed position.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 11th day of September,A. D. 1897.

CLESSON A. LOWELL. EDWARD R. BROWN,

Witnesses:

A. L. MESSER, E. L. HARLOW.

